SHOPS and homes had to be evacuated in Tavistock's West Street following a gas leak on Monday afternoon.

A fire crew from Tavistock sealed the leak temporarily at around 3.30pm after they received a report of a heavy smell of gas within a property in the street.

The road was closed and gas engineers soon arrived at the scene to repair the leak.

Fire officer Mitch Kingdom said the crew was on the scene for two hours: 'I would like to thank the people who were very alert and called us immediately they smelt the gas.'